Talks — AACR Brain Cancer 2026

The primary artifact of this vault: one Markdown file per talk. AACR Brain Cancer 2026 is a hybrid meeting — some talks are cellular-therapy clinical cohorts, some are targeted-therapy biology / clinical, some are neuroscience-of-glioma mechanism, some are single-cell / spatial methods, some are pediatric-CNS-tumor readouts. The per-talk schema accommodates all of these with one Anchor type field.

Status: Template + master index. Per-talk pages will be populated retrospectively from the AACR Brain 26 program page, the Cancer Research abstract supplement, AACR session video / slide releases, and trade-press recaps. Stubs flagged *expected per program page* are reconstructed from the public program; the AACR-posted speaker list and abstract numbers are the source of truth once the supplement DOIs land.

Per-talk template

Each talk file (e.g., monje-keynote.md, il13ra2-egfr-bivalent-car-t.md, vorasidenib-combinations.md, gd2-car-t-dmg-stanford.md) follows this schema. Copy and fill:

# <Talk title — short>

> **Session:** <session name, date, time ET, room> · **Track:** <track / theme> · **Abstract:** <*Cancer Research* abstract #, if assigned>

## At a glance

- **Speaker:** <name, degrees>
- **Affiliation:** <institution, department, lab>
- **Day / session / track:** <Tue Mar 24 / Cellular Therapy for GBM / cell-therapy>
- **Talk title:** <full title as in program>
- **Anchor type:** <cell therapy / trial | targeted therapy / trial | cohort / readout | mechanism / biology talk | tool / pipeline | award lecture | keynote>
- **Anchor:** <trial acronym + NCT | drug + indication | manuscript citation + DOI | tool name + repo / package URL>
- **Co-authors / consortium:** <if applicable — e.g., COG, Children's Brain Tumor Network (CBTN), GLASS Consortium, NCI-CONNECT>
- **Preprint / paper:** <bioRxiv / medRxiv / Nature / NEJM / Cancer Cell / Cancer Discovery DOI, if accompanying>

## Key result

<One paragraph. Numbers + cohort size + response / PFS / OS / molecular endpoints if known.
For mechanism talks: the headline biological finding. If pre-publication, mark
`*expected per <lab page / prior abstract / press release>*` or `*per AACR Brain 26 program*`.>

## Mechanism / approach

<2–4 sentences. What target, what construct (for cell therapy: scFv / hinge / costim / armouring),
what delivery route (IV / intratumoral / intraventricular / ICV / focused-ultrasound BBB-open),
what comparator, what biomarker stratification. For mechanism talks: model system, key
experimental innovation. For tool / methods talks: what it consumes / produces and the
key computational idea.>

## Why it matters for the corpus

<1–2 sentences. The cross-meeting relevance specifically — does it inform the AACR Annual
neuro-onc slot four weeks later, an ASCO trial readout, a SITC cellular-therapy talk,
a SABCS brain-metastases readout, or a SNO 2026 plenary?>

## Discussant / chair takeaway

<Named session chair + framing once known. AACR special conferences use session-level chairs
rather than per-abstract discussants — capture chair framing.>

## Cross-links

- **AACR Brain 26 prior years:** <e.g., Brain 23 / Brain 21 antecedent talks if part of a series>
- **AACR 2026 Annual (San Diego, Apr 17–22):** <related session / poster, if applicable>
- **SITC 2026 (Nov 4–8):** <CAR-T-in-CNS / IO neuro-onc tie-in>
- **ASCO 2026 (May 29 – Jun 2):** <vorasidenib follow-up / brain-mets readout cross-link>
- **SABCS 2026 (Dec 8–11):** <HER2 brain mets / leptomeningeal disease readout>
- **JPM 2026:** <sponsor presentation / pipeline framing>
- **Other Brain 26 talks:** <session-mates, same-platform, same-target>

## Sources

- *Cancer Research* abstract: <DOI or "pending supplement publication">
- Preprint / paper: <bioRxiv / medRxiv / journal DOI>
- Sponsor / institutional press: <URL>
- Trade-press recap: <OncLive / Targeted Oncology / Neurology Live / CancerNetwork URL>
- ClinicalTrials.gov: <NCT URL>
- Lab page: <URL>
- Recording (if released): <AACR On Demand / YouTube URL>

Master talk index

The shortlist below is for stub creation — entries are reconstructed from the AACR Brain 26 program page and chair public statements. Speaker assignments and titles will be reconciled with the official program / Cancer Research supplement when DOIs land. Italicized speakers / titles are *expected per program / chair statements*.

Talk	Speaker (expected)	Affiliation	Day	Session / track	Anchor type	Anchor (expected)	Why it matters
Keynote: glioma cell states and lineage	Mario L. Suva	Harvard / Broad / MGH	Plenary (Mon Mar 23)	Keynote	keynote	AC-/MES-/OPC-/NPC-like state framework + new perturbation / lineage data	Defines the cell-state framework underpinning much of the rest of the program
Keynote: The role of injury programs in gliomagenesis	Simona Parrinello	UCL Cancer Institute	Plenary (Tue Mar 24)	Keynote	keynote	injury-response / wound-healing programs as gliomagenesis substrate	Reframes glioma origin in injury-response terms — recurring 2024–26 theme
Neuroscience of glioma — neural-circuit integration and activity-dependent growth	Michelle Monje	Stanford	Plenary or session-leading	Neuroscience of gliomas	mechanism / biology talk	neuron-glioma synaptic integration, AMPAR-driven proliferation; latest model	Anchors the neuroscience-of-cancer thread that distinguishes Brain 26 from other meetings
Cellular therapy for GBM — chair framing	Stephen J. Bagley	UPenn	Session chair (Mon/Tue)	Cellular therapy for GBM	session chair	survey of UPenn IL-13Rα2 + EGFR bivalent CAR-T cohort	UPenn ICV bivalent CAR-T cohort is the most-watched single CAR-T program in GBM
Bicistronic CAR-T targeting EGFR and IL-13Rα2 in recurrent GBM (Ph1 update)	Bagley / O'Rourke / June lab	UPenn	Mon Mar 23	Cellular therapy for GBM	cell therapy / trial	ICV bivalent CAR-T Ph1; expanded cohort per Nature Med 2024 + 2025 PMC update	Lead clinical signal for ICV bivalent CAR-T in adult GBM
Chlorotoxin CAR-T for recurrent high-grade glioma (Ph1)	Brown / Badie lab	City of Hope	Tue Mar 24	Cellular therapy for GBM	cell therapy / trial	chlorotoxin-targeted CAR-T; locoregional + intraventricular delivery	Broad-targeting (MMP-2-dependent) chlorotoxin-CAR; alternative to single-antigen approaches
IL-13Rα2 CAR-T in recurrent HGG — locoregional delivery long-term	Brown / Forman lab	City of Hope	Tue Mar 24	Cellular therapy for GBM	cell therapy / trial	IL-13Rα2 single-target CAR-T; updated cohort per Nature Med 2024	Lineage benchmark for IL-13Rα2 program; cross-link to bivalent / multispecific designs
Interplay between infused and endogenous immune systems in GBM CAR-T	Singh / June / Maus-aligned	UPenn / MGH	Mon/Tue	Cellular therapy for GBM	mechanism / biology talk	endogenous T-cell rescue / "epitope spreading" in CNS CAR-T responders	Frames next-generation CAR-T engineering decisions (armouring, cytokine support)
Cell-state-directed CAR-T cell therapies for glioma	Suva / Tirosh / Bernstein-aligned	Broad / MGH	Mon/Tue	Cellular therapy for GBM	mechanism / biology talk	targeting cell-state-specific surface antigens (e.g., MES-like, OPC-like)	Integrates single-cell glioma framework with cell-therapy target selection
GD2 CAR-T for DIPG and diffuse midline glioma — Ph1 update	Monje / Mackall lab	Stanford	Tue Mar 24	Pediatric / DIPG	cell therapy / trial	GD2-CAR-T (autologous) IV + ICV in H3K27M-mutant DMG; updated cohort	Practice-defining for pediatric DMG; the strongest CAR-T-in-CNS efficacy signal to date
B7-H3 CAR-T for pediatric CNS tumors — Ph1	Vitanza / Park-aligned	Seattle Children's	Tue Mar 24	Pediatric / cell therapy	cell therapy / trial	B7-H3-targeted CAR-T; locoregional CSF delivery; medulloblastoma + ependymoma + ATRT	Alternative pediatric CAR-T target with broad CNS-tumor expression
EGFRvIII-targeted approaches for GBM in 2026 — what's left	O'Rourke / June or alternate	UPenn / MGH	Mon Mar 23	Cellular therapy for GBM	mechanism / biology talk	EGFRvIII single-target lessons + role in bivalent / multispecific constructs	Frames the field's reckoning with single-target CAR antigen-escape
Vorasidenib in IDH-mutant glioma — post-INDIGO biology and combinations	Mellinghoff / Wen / Cloughesy-aligned	MSK / DFCI / UCLA	Mon Mar 23	IDH-mutant glioma	targeted therapy / trial	vorasidenib + TTF / RT / immune combinations; high-grade IDH-mut signal	First targeted-therapy approval in grade 2 IDH-mut glioma; combinations define the next chapter
Tumor Treating Fields + vorasidenib in IDH-mutant glioma	Wang / Novocure-academic collab	Terasaki Institute / partner sites	Mon Mar 23	IDH-mutant glioma	targeted therapy / trial	TTF + vorasidenib resistance-overcoming mechanism; preclinical + Ph1 design	AACR-Novocure CDA-funded program; cross-link to ongoing-trial poster
IDH-mut neoantigen / peptide vaccine update	Platten / Sahm / Schumacher-aligned	DKFZ / Heidelberg	Mon Mar 23	IDH-mutant glioma	targeted therapy / trial	IDH1R132H peptide vaccine; updated cohort per Nature 2021 + follow-up	Bridges IDH-mut targeted-therapy thread to neuro-IO
2-HG biology and downstream epigenetic targeting in IDH-mut glioma	Mellinghoff / Su lab	MSK	Mon Mar 23	IDH-mutant glioma	mechanism / biology talk	D-2-HG signalling, hypermethylation, vulnerability mapping	Defines combination-partner space for vorasidenib
Medulloblastoma molecular subgroup-specific therapy (Group 3 / 4)	Pomeroy / Roussel / Northcott-aligned	DFCI / St. Jude	Wed Mar 25	Pediatric / medulloblastoma	mechanism / biology talk	MYC-amplified Group 3 + heterogeneous Group 4 biology; subgroup-targeted approaches	Subgroup-tailored therapy is the medulloblastoma practice-shift question
SHH-medulloblastoma — beyond SMO inhibitors	Curran / Wechsler-Reya / Robinson	St. Jude	Wed Mar 25	Pediatric / medulloblastoma	mechanism / biology talk	SHH subtype biology, resistance to SMO-i, novel SHH-pathway targeting	Post-vismodegib / sonidegib era; addresses pediatric SHH-medulloblastoma niche
GD2 expression and CAR-T targeting in medulloblastoma	Mackall / Lim / Vitanza-aligned	Stanford / Seattle Children's	Wed Mar 25	Pediatric / cell therapy	cell therapy / trial	GD2 + GPC2 + B7-H3 multi-antigen medulloblastoma CAR-T pipeline	Pediatric medulloblastoma CAR-T is the next pediatric-CAR inflection after DMG
DAY101 / tovorafenib in pediatric low-grade glioma (post-FIREFLY)	Kilburn / Wright / Day One	DFCI / Day One Biopharmaceuticals	Wed Mar 25	Pediatric / targeted	targeted therapy / trial	type-II RAF inhibitor in BRAF-fusion / V600 pediatric LGG; post-FDA-approval data	Practice-defining for BRAF-altered pediatric LGG
ONC201 / dordaviprone in H3K27M-mutant glioma	Arrillaga-Romany / Chi / Chimerix	MGH / Chimerix	Tue Mar 24	Pediatric / DIPG / DMG	targeted therapy / trial	ClpP / DRD2 modulator; H3K27M-mutant DMG efficacy + biomarker	First targeted-therapy signal in H3K27M DMG; FDA filing-window
Brain metastases — CNS-active ADC penetration (HER2)	Lin / Anders / Bardia-aligned	DFCI / Duke / UCLA	Tue Mar 24	Brain metastases	cohort / readout	T-DXd CNS activity in DESTINY-Breast12; tucatinib brain-mets combinations	Reframes ADCs as CNS-active drugs; bridges to SABCS 2026
HER2CLIMB and beyond — tucatinib + ADC sequencing in brain mets	Lin / Murthy / Hurvitz	DFCI / MD Anderson / UW	Tue Mar 24	Brain metastases	cohort / readout	tucatinib + T-DXd in brain mets; sequencing question	HER2 brain-mets practice question
CSF ctDNA / cfDNA for response monitoring in CNS tumors	Miller / Brastianos / Brennan-aligned	MGH / MSK	Wed Mar 25	Diagnostics / biomarkers	tool / pipeline	CSF liquid biopsy assay; methylation classifier integration	Liquid biopsy in CNS tumors is the response-assessment unmet need
DKFZ methylation classifier (MNP v13) and pediatric brain-tumor diagnosis	Sahm / Pfister / Capper-aligned	DKFZ / Heidelberg	Wed Mar 25	Diagnostics / biomarkers	tool / pipeline	MNP v13 release; expanded subgroup coverage; clinical validation cohort	Defines pediatric brain-tumor molecular classification standard worldwide
Microglia and tumor-associated microglia / macrophages in glioma	Bowman / Joyce / Quail-aligned	Yale / Lausanne / McGill	Tue Mar 24	Neuro-immune / TME	mechanism / biology talk	TAM single-cell + spatial framework; reprogramming as therapeutic target	The other half of neuro-IO beyond CAR-T
Dopamine signalling and glioma progression	Venkatesh / Monje-aligned	Stanford	Tue Mar 24	Neuroscience of gliomas	mechanism / biology talk	dopaminergic input to glioma; behavioral and pharmacological perturbation	Extension of the neural-circuit-glioma framework
Blood-brain-barrier-aware drug discovery — design principles	Sanai / Lim-aligned	Ivy Brain Tumor Center / academic	Mon Mar 23	BBB delivery	mechanism / biology talk	Phase 0 / window-of-opportunity trials; BBB / BTB PK / PD framework	Reframes CNS-drug-discovery default assumptions
Focused-ultrasound BBB opening for CNS drug delivery	Mainprize / Hynynen-aligned	Sunnybrook / partner sites	Mon Mar 23	BBB delivery	tool / pipeline	MR-guided FUS BBB opening for chemotherapy / antibody delivery	Emerging modality, late-Ph1 / early-Ph2
Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) for pediatric DIPG / DMG	Souweidane / Bander-aligned	Weill Cornell / partner	Tue Mar 24	Pediatric / BBB delivery	tool / pipeline	CED + radiolabeled antibody / small-molecule pediatric DIPG / DMG trial cohort	Pediatric DMG-specific delivery modality with extant Ph1 / Ph2 data
Spatial transcriptomics in glioma — GLASS / lineage atlas	Verhaak / Suva / Bernstein-aligned	Yale / Broad	Wed Mar 25	Single-cell / spatial	tool / pipeline + biology	GLASS Consortium spatial atlas; Visium HD / Xenium application	Integrates single-cell framework with spatial context
3D-genome organization and chromatin in glioma	Bernstein / Marra-aligned	Broad	Wed Mar 25	Tumor heterogeneity / spatial	mechanism / biology talk	3D-genomics-defined regulatory programs in GBM cell states	Connects cell-state framework to cis-regulatory architecture
Single-cell atlas of pediatric brain tumors — CBTN / OpenPBTA	Resnick / Storm / CBTN team	CHOP / CBTN	Wed Mar 25	Pediatric / single-cell	tool / pipeline + cohort	OpenPBTA scRNA + bulk pan-pediatric atlas update	Foundational resource for pediatric-brain-tumor biology
Closing plenary / synthesis	Chairs (Bagley / Monje / Suva)	UPenn / Stanford / Broad	Wed Mar 25 PM	Closing	award lecture / synthesis	meeting-wide synthesis + next-step agenda	Captures the chair-articulated takeaways

Additional shortlist candidates to stub once the AACR Brain 26 abstract supplement DOIs land:

• CAR-T armouring: TGF-β-resistant CAR-T constructs in GBM; IL-7 / IL-15-armoured constructs; "logic-gated" CARs (e.g., dual-signal SynNotch) for CNS solid tumors.
• Allogeneic / off-the-shelf cell therapy: allogeneic NK-cell and γδ-T-cell programs in GBM; allogeneic CAR-T platforms entering CNS.
• Oncolytic virus + cell therapy combinations: OV delivering CD19 + EGFRvIII antigens (per Nature Comms 2026 reference); OV priming CAR-T responses.
• Ependymoma and ATRT: rare-CNS-tumor-specific sessions (often paired with pediatric track).
• CNS lymphoma (PCNSL): typically a small adjunct session; cellular therapy + BBB-aware regimens.
• Pre-meeting / educational tracks: statistical-trial-design primers, BBB pharmacology primer, single-cell-for-clinicians.
• Industry-sponsored research presentations: typically Servier (vorasidenib), Day One (tovorafenib), Chimerix (ONC201), CARGO / Mustang / 2seventy (cell therapy), Novocure (TTF).

Cross-cutting themes (for themes.md, deferred until per-talk pages are populated)

To synthesize across talks/ once populated:

1. CAR-T-in-CNS readout convergence. ICV bivalent (UPenn EGFR + IL-13Rα2) vs locoregional single-target (City of Hope IL-13Rα2, chlorotoxin) vs IV + ICV GD2 (Stanford DMG) vs B7-H3 (Seattle Children's) — the 2026 question is which design / route / target combination wins where. Cross-link to SITC 2026 solid-tumor cell-therapy track.
2. Vorasidenib combination signal. Post-INDIGO, the question is whether IDH-mut targeted-therapy works as monotherapy in higher-grade disease (CURE follow-up suggests safe + tolerable) and which combination (TTF, RT, vaccine, immune) shifts the curve. The 2026 readout shapes the 2027–28 Ph2 / Ph3 design space.
3. GD2-CAR-T pediatric inflection. The Stanford DMG signal is the most-watched CAR-T signal across all of pediatric solid-tumor oncology. Brain 26 is where the design + biomarker work feeds forward to expanded multi-site Ph2. Bridges to AACR 2026 Annual pediatric track and SITC 2026.
4. Single-cell glioma cell-state framework consolidation. Suva / Tirosh / Bernstein-aligned labs continue to refine the AC-/MES-/OPC-/NPC-like framework; the 2026 update integrates spatial transcriptomics, lineage tracing, and clinically-paired specimens. Cross-link to AACR 2026 single-cell topic.
5. Neuro-immune / microglia framing. TAM-targeting plus neural-circuit-glioma plus neuro-IO is converging into a single conceptual frame. The 2026 update brings spatial-immune and single-cell-microglia work into clinical-correlation territory.
6. BBB-aware drug discovery. Phase-0 / window-of-opportunity trials + FUS BBB opening + CED + BBB-penetrant chemistry. The 2026 reframing of "CNS drug discovery starts with the BBB" reaches mainstream-oncology consciousness via ADC brain-mets data (cross-link to SABCS 2026 brain-mets section).
7. Pediatric brain-tumor molecular classification standard. DKFZ MNP v13 update + CBTN / OpenPBTA atlas — the diagnostic + research substrate for pediatric brain-tumor work in 2026 onward.
8. Brain metastases as cross-cancer practice question. HER2 brain-mets (DESTINY-Breast12, HER2CLIMB-05) and lung / melanoma brain-mets activity from CNS-penetrant targeted therapy is reshaping ADC + small-molecule positioning. Cross-meeting bridge across Brain 26 → AACR 2026 → ASCO 2026 → SABCS 2026.